


Worse Encounters

by mangacrack



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Chance Meetings, F/M, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, The Uchiha Clan is not part of Konoha
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-26
Updated: 2018-06-26
Packaged: 2019-05-29 03:11:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15063755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mangacrack/pseuds/mangacrack
Summary: The only danger in uncertainty is wallowing in it.





	Worse Encounters

It's freezing cold and even with her gloves Hinata can barely feel her fingers. Her arms are heavy too and she struggles to get back on her feet. She's panting, breathing harshly and watches how small clouds leave her mouth potentially giving her position away to the enemy. Not that she can do much to stay hidden. Around her two foreign man lie dead, it took a while to get through their defence but in the end a firm shove against their chest sealed their end. Hinata wishes it hadn't been necessary, yet she's too worn to even care about their names right now. If someone asks her later, she doubts she will recognize their faces.

For it's still a long way until she's safe. Let alone warm and able to get some sleep.

 _There might be more,_ she thinks and pulls herself upright. _I have to leave._

She's miles away from the next town. Her single teammate been separated from her. Kiba will have headed back to Konoha by now, that's what they agreed to and the ingredients they had picked from the messenger coming from Suna, were far more important. No one could have know that she'd run into so much trouble on her way back.

A noise to her left makes her stop in her tracks. Her instincts scream to run, but that's exactly the worst she could right now. Panic will give her away and draw attention. Even the slightest flare of chakra could end in a disaster right now, so Hinata keeps her breathing steady and slowly itches backwards, one hand already at her knife pouch.

"I don't recommend staying here if I were you," a voice tells her and after a few seconds of dread, Hinata relaxes.

In the dead of the night her own Byakugan is almost useless. She's better at details and short-range transparency. Even if she had Neji's abilities, Hinata doubts she'd ever been able to see the person coming that's stepping out of the woods right now.

"I have no intention of remaining here, Uchiha-san," Hinata says and pulls herself upright. Chakra flares and in the next moment fire illuminates the clearing.

As she rightly guessed, it's Uchiha Sasuke standing at the other end and looking horribly bored. It's as if they might've crossed each other getting groceries in the wee hours of the morning and had not just met on the battlefield. The flame flickers in Sasuke's hand, wild and free. Dangerous.

Hinata is aware that she's no match for the Uchiha, but past encounters taught her that the Sharingan wielders dislike to draw attention to themselves. They avoid unnecessary fights, specially if a few pleasantries lead to the same result.

As she straightens her back, Sasuke eyes the two corpses.

"I have been looking for them," he says and turns the first one around in order to get a good look at his face. "In exchange for doing my job for me, I will escort you back to the road. While I have taken out their last teammate, I will not risk the alliance with the Hyuuga Clan for a minor detour."

Hinata nods. Instead of sighing as a few friends would have, she doesn't protest at the prospect of not walking back alone. Her muscles are screaming at her, but she makes no sound as they start moving. Uchiha Sasuke is far stronger than her and what the Uchiha Clan could want with three rogue Oto Ninja, she can't even phantom, but it's the best solution for her situation right now.

"You have my thanks, Uchiha-san," she says. It's unnecessary for her to mention that she's grateful for the warmth the Katon no Jutsu provides. "I'm in your debt."

Sasuke only shrugs. He's as aware of the political situation as she is. Officially Konoha doesn't want anything to do with the Uchiha Clan, meaning that the village still dislikes the independence the Sharingan users have been celebrating since over one hundred years. At times they had even been bitter enemies, though the Hokages always judges fighting the Uchiha Clan is not worth the struggle, especially for a Clan who does it's best to stay neutral in a difficult political landscape.

Another person Sasuke might have left to fend themselves against the cold harsh night.

It's Hinata's status as Byakugan wielder, her ties to the Hyuuga Clan that grants her protection. There are not many Dojutsu Clans left in the world and it's always been the policy to respect each other's boundaries as much as they are able to. Her father has often been send to negotiate with the Uchiha Clan, whenever the Hokage required man power or information. As result, Hinata has met Sasuke before.

They walk in silence and to be truthful there are worse ways to spend the night.

It's pleasant that neither of them is interesting in talking, in exchanging useless intel. Sasuke won't say why he was after those man and without a doubt, he will double back to collect their heads while Hinata refuses to indulge what she was looking for in this part of the world.

"Until next time, Hyuua-san," he says as the lights of the town appear at the horizon. Apparently he trusts her to find the way back without any further incidents.

Then Uchiha Sasuke let the fire die and he vanishes into the dead of the night. Soundless and unseen while fresh snow falls from the sky and Hinata checks if she has still blood on her cheeks.

 _I hope so,_ she thinks, but doesn't look back as she walks through the gates.

 


End file.
